Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “Say to them: ‘For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from my presence. I am the LORD. New Living Translation Give them the following instructions. “In all future generations, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean when he approaches the sacred offerings that the people of Israel consecrate to the LORD, he must be cut off from my presence. I am the LORD. English Standard Version Say to them, ‘If any one of all your offspring throughout your generations approaches the holy things that the people of Israel dedicate to the LORD, while he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD. Berean Standard Bible Tell them that for the generations to come, if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from My presence. I am the LORD. Berean Literal Bible Say to them throughout your⁺ generations: Any man of all your⁺ seed who goes near the holy things that the sons of Israel dedicate to YHWH, and his uncleanness is upon him, that person shall be cut off from My presence. I am YHWH. King James Bible Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD. New King James Version Say to them: ‘Whoever of all your descendants throughout your generations, who goes near the holy things which the children of Israel dedicate to the LORD, while he has uncleanness upon him, that person shall be cut off from My presence: I am the LORD. New American Standard Bible Say to them, ‘Any man among all your descendants throughout your generations who approaches the holy gifts which the sons of Israel consecrate to the LORD, while he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from My presence; I am the LORD. NASB 1995 “Say to them, ‘If any man among all your descendants throughout your generations approaches the holy gifts which the sons of Israel dedicate to the LORD, while he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from before Me; I am the LORD. NASB 1977 “Say to them, ‘If any man among all your descendants throughout your generations approaches the holy gifts which the sons of Israel dedicate to the LORD, while he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from before Me. I am the LORD. Legacy Standard Bible Say to them, ‘If any man among all your seed throughout your generations comes near to the holy gifts which the sons of Israel set apart as holy to Yahweh, and he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from before Me; I am Yahweh. Amplified Bible Say to them, ‘Any one of your descendants throughout your generations who approaches the holy things which the Israelites dedicate to the LORD, while he is [ceremonially] unclean, that person shall be cut off from My presence and excluded from the sanctuary; I am the LORD. Berean Annotated Bible Tell them that for the generations to come, if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites (God prevails) consecrate to the LORD {YHWH}, that person must be cut off from My presence. I am the LORD. Christian Standard Bible Say to them: If any man from any of your descendants throughout your generations is in a state of uncleanness yet approaches the holy offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person will be cut off from my presence; I am the LORD. Holman Christian Standard Bible Say to them: If any man from any of your descendants throughout your generations is in a state of uncleanness yet approaches the holy offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person will be cut off from My presence; I am Yahweh. American Standard Version Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed throughout your generations, that approacheth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto Jehovah, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from before me: I am Jehovah. Contemporary English Version If any of you are unclean when you accept an offering for me, I will no longer let you serve as a priest. English Revised Version Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed throughout your generations, that approacheth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from before me: I am the LORD. GOD'S WORD® Translation "Tell them: In future generations if any of your descendants, while unclean, comes near the holy offerings the Israelites set apart for the LORD, that person must be excluded from my presence. I am the LORD. Good News Translation If any of your descendants, while he is ritually unclean, comes near the sacred offerings which the people of Israel have dedicated to me, he can never again serve at the altar. This applies for all time to come. I am the LORD. International Standard Version Tell them that whoever among your descendants throughout your generations approaches the sacred things that the Israelis had consecrated to the LORD while still remaining unclean is to be eliminated from my presence. I am the LORD. NET Bible Say to them, 'Throughout your generations, if any man from all your descendants approaches the holy offerings which the Israelites consecrate to the LORD while he is impure, that person must be cut off from before me. I am the LORD. New Heart English Bible "Tell them, 'If anyone of all your descendants throughout your generations approaches the holy things, which the children of Israel make holy to the LORD, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me. I am the LORD. Webster's Bible Translation Say to them, Whoever he may be of all your seed among your generations, that approacheth the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow to the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleTell them that for the generations to come, if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from My presence. I am the LORD. World English Bible “Tell them, ‘If anyone of all your offspring throughout your generations approaches the holy things which the children of Israel make holy to Yahweh, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me. I am Yahweh. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionSay to them: Throughout your generations, any man who draws near, out of all your seed, to the holy things which the sons of Israel sanctify to YHWH, and his uncleanness [is] on him—indeed, that person has been cut off from before My face; I [am] YHWH. Berean Literal Bible Say to them throughout your⁺ generations: Any man of all your⁺ seed who goes near the holy things that the sons of Israel dedicate to YHWH, and his uncleanness is upon him, that person shall be cut off from My presence. I am YHWH. Young's Literal Translation Say unto them, To your generations, any man who draweth near, out of all your seed, unto the holy things which the sons of Israel do sanctify to Jehovah, and his uncleanness on him -- even that person hath been cut off from before Me; I am Jehovah. Smith's Literal Translation Say to them, For your generations every man who shall come near from all your seed to the holies which the sons of Israel: shall consecrate to Jehovah, and his uncleanness upon him, and that soul was cut off from before me: I Jehovah. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleSay to them and to their posterity: Every man of your race, that approacheth to those things that are consecrated, and which the children of Israel have offered to the Lord, in whom there is uncleanness, shall perish before the Lord. I am the Lord. Catholic Public Domain Version Say to them and to their posterity: Every man of your stock, who approaches toward those things which have been consecrated, and which the sons of Israel have brought forward to the Lord, in whom there is uncleanness, shall perish before the Lord. I am the Lord. New American Bible Tell them: If any one of you, or of your descendants in any future generation, dares, while he is in a state of uncleanness, to draw near the sacred offerings which the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, such a one shall be cut off from my presence. I am the LORD. New Revised Standard Version Say to them: If anyone among all your offspring throughout your generations comes near the sacred donations, which the people of Israel dedicate to the LORD, while he is in a state of uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleSay to them, Whosoever he be of all your descendants throughout your generations who approaches to the holy things which the children of Israel hallow to the LORD while he is unclean, that person shall be cut off from my presence; I am the LORD. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Say to them for their generations: ‘Every man of all your seed that may touch the Holy things that the children of Israel consecrate to LORD JEHOVAH, when his uncleanness is upon him, that soul will be destroyed from before my eyes; I AM LORD JEHOVAH. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Say unto them: Whosoever he be of all your seed throughout your generations, that approacheth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from before Me: I am the LORD. Brenton Septuagint Translation Say to them, Every man throughout your generations, whoever of all your seed shall approach to the holy things, whatsoever the children of Israel shall consecrate to the Lord, while his uncleanness is upon him, that soul shall be cut off from me: I am the Lord your God. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Restrictions Against the Unclean…2“Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings that the Israelites have consecrated to Me, so that they do not profane My holy name. I am the LORD. 3Tell them that for the generations to come, if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, that person must be cut off from My presence. I am the LORD. 4If a descendant of Aaron has a skin disease or a discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is clean. Whoever touches anything defiled by a corpse or by a man who has an emission of semen,… Cross References Tell them that for the generations to come, Numbers 15:15 The assembly is to have the same statute both for you and for the foreign resident; it is a permanent statute for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the LORD. Leviticus 23:14 You must not eat any bread or roasted or new grain until the very day you have brought this offering to your God. This is to be a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live. Exodus 12:14 And this day will be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD, as a permanent statute for the generations to come. if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness Leviticus 15:31 You must keep the children of Israel separate from their uncleanness, so that they do not die by defiling My tabernacle, which is among them. Numbers 19:20 But if a person who is unclean does not purify himself, he will be cut off from the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. Numbers 5:2-3 “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body. / You must send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.” approaches the sacred offerings Numbers 4:19 In order that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and what he is to carry. Leviticus 7:20-21 But if anyone who is unclean eats meat from the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people. / If one touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any unclean, detestable thing, and then eats any of the meat of the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.” Deuteronomy 26:13-14 Then you shall declare in the presence of the LORD your God, “I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all the commandments You have given me. I have not transgressed or forgotten Your commandments. / I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while in mourning, or removed any of it while unclean, or offered any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the LORD my God; I have done everything You commanded me. that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD, Exodus 28:38 And it will be worn on Aaron’s forehead, so that he may bear the iniquity of the holy things that the sons of Israel consecrate with regard to all their holy gifts. It shall always be on his forehead, so that they may be acceptable before the LORD. Numbers 18:8-10 Then the LORD said to Aaron, “Behold, I have put you in charge of My offerings. As for all the sacred offerings of the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons as a portion and a permanent statute. / A portion of the most holy offerings reserved from the fire will be yours. From all the offerings they render to Me as most holy offerings, whether grain offerings or sin offerings or guilt offerings, that part belongs to you and your sons. / You are to eat it as a most holy offering, and every male may eat it. You shall regard it as holy. Exodus 13:2 “Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast.” that person must be cut off from My presence. Numbers 15:30-31 But the person who sins defiantly, whether a native or foreigner, blasphemes the LORD. That person shall be cut off from among his people. / He shall certainly be cut off, because he has despised the word of the LORD and broken His commandment; his guilt remains on him.” Exodus 30:33 Anyone who mixes perfume like it or puts it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.’” 2 Kings 24:20 For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon. I am the LORD. Exodus 6:2 God also told Moses, “I am the LORD. Treasury of Scripture Say to them, Whoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goes to the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow to the LORD, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD. having his uncleanness upon him. Leviticus 7:20,21 But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people… from my Exodus 33:14,15 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest… Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Jump to Previous Approaches Approacheth Children Cut Descendants Generations Hallow Holy Israel Presence Seed Soul Throughout UncleannessJump to Next Approaches Approacheth Children Cut Descendants Generations Hallow Holy Israel Presence Seed Soul Throughout UncleannessLeviticus 22 1. The priests in their uncleanness must abstain from the holy things6. How they shall be cleansed 10. Who of the priest's house may eat of the holy things 17. The sacrifices must be without blemish 26. The age of the sacrifice 29. The law of eating the sacrifice of thanksgiving Tell them that for the generations to come This phrase establishes the perpetual nature of the commandment. It is not limited to the immediate audience but extends to future generations. This reflects the timelessness of God's laws and their relevance across ages. The continuity of the priestly duties and the sanctity of the offerings are emphasized, showing the importance of maintaining holiness in worship practices. if any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD that person must be cut off from My presence I am the LORD Persons / Places / Events 1. The LORD (Yahweh)- The covenant God of Israel, who is holy and requires holiness from His people. 2. Aaron and His Descendants - The priestly line chosen by God to serve in the tabernacle and later the temple, responsible for maintaining ritual purity. 3. The Israelites - The chosen people of God, who are called to be holy and set apart from other nations. 4. The Tabernacle - The dwelling place of God among His people, where sacrifices and offerings are made. 5. Uncleanness - A state of ritual impurity that disqualifies a person from participating in sacred activities. Teaching Points Holiness and ReverenceGod’s holiness demands reverence and obedience. As believers, we are called to approach God with a heart that respects His holiness and follows His commands. The Seriousness of Sin Sin and uncleanness separate us from God. We must take sin seriously and seek purification through repentance and faith in Christ. Priestly Responsibility Just as the priests were responsible for maintaining purity, believers today are called to be a royal priesthood, living lives that reflect God’s holiness. Community Impact Our personal holiness affects the community of believers. We must strive to live pure lives that contribute to the spiritual health of the church. Access to God Through Christ, we have access to God. We must not take this privilege lightly but approach Him with a clean heart and a sincere faith. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Leviticus 22:3?2. What does Leviticus 22:3 teach about the holiness required for priests? 3. How does Leviticus 22:3 emphasize the importance of purity in worship? 4. Why is being "unclean" significant in the context of Leviticus 22:3? 5. How can we apply the principles of Leviticus 22:3 in our daily lives? 6. What New Testament passages echo the themes found in Leviticus 22:3? 7. What does Leviticus 22:3 reveal about God's expectations for holiness among His people? 8. How does Leviticus 22:3 reflect the importance of purity in worship practices? 9. Why is the penalty for defiling sacred offerings so severe in Leviticus 22:3? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Leviticus 22? 11. In Leviticus 22:3, why would a loving God issue such a severe punishment for priests who approach holy things while unclean? 12. Could Leviticus 22's detailed purity regulations reflect historical or cultural practices now seen as scientifically or ethically questionable? 13. In Leviticus 12:8, how does the prescribed offering for atonement reconcile with the idea that childbirth is not a moral wrongdoing? 14. Why did Aaron offer a sin offering for his sons? What Does Leviticus 22:3 Mean Tell them that for the generations to come• God instructs Moses to speak to Aaron’s priestly line about a command that is not temporary but enduring. • Like Exodus 12:14, where the Passover is “a memorial for you and future generations,” this phrase anchors the statute in every era, underscoring that divine standards do not shift with culture or time (cf. Psalm 78:5-7). • The continuity highlights that holiness is never optional for God’s people—whether in the tabernacle era, the Church age, or eternity. If any of their descendants in a state of uncleanness • “Uncleanness” refers to any ceremonial defilement described in Leviticus 11–15. Contact with a corpse (Numbers 19:11-13) or bodily discharges (Leviticus 15:31) are prime examples. • The warning applies to priests first, yet by extension teaches all believers that impurity—moral or ceremonial—matters to God (2 Corinthians 6:17; Isaiah 52:11). • Scripture consistently links fellowship with God to purity of life (Psalm 24:3-4). Approaches the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the LORD • “Sacred offerings” include the grain, sin, and fellowship offerings assigned to the priests for food (Leviticus 6:17-18; Numbers 18:8-12). • These gifts are “most holy,” meaning they are set apart exclusively for God and treated with reverence (Leviticus 7:6). • For New-Covenant believers, this foreshadows the privilege of drawing near through Christ as “a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God” (1 Peter 2:5). That person must be cut off from My presence • “Cut off” signals severe discipline—expulsion from the community and, in some contexts, premature death (Genesis 17:14; Exodus 30:33; Numbers 19:20). • The phrase “from My presence” stresses that sin separates; God’s holiness does not tolerate pollution in His dwelling (Isaiah 59:2). • Hebrews 10:29-31 echoes this gravity for believers who treat the blood of the covenant as unholy. I am the LORD • The declaration roots the command in God’s unchanging character (Malachi 3:6). • Leviticus repeats this refrain (e.g., 11:44-45) to remind Israel that obedience flows from knowing who God is—supremely holy, sovereign, and personal. • Revelation 4:8 still proclaims, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,” showing that divine holiness remains central in eternity. summary Leviticus 22:3 teaches that God’s holiness is unbending, His standards span every generation, and approaching Him casually invites severe consequences. Priests—and by application all believers—must guard against impurity before handling what is dedicated to the Lord. The verse closes with God’s own name, underscoring that His authority and holiness demand reverent obedience, not just in ancient Israel but in every era of redemptive history. (3) Whosoever he be of all your seed, among your generations.--Better, throughout your generations, every man. So the Authorised version properly renders the expression here translated "among your generations" in Leviticus 23:14; Leviticus 23:21. (See Leviticus 3:17; Leviticus 21:17.)That goeth unto the holy things.--That is, who approaches the sacrifices to eat them, as is stated in Leviticus 22:4; Leviticus 22:6; Leviticus 22:12. . . . Hebrew Sayאֱמֹ֣ר (’ĕ·mōr) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say to them: אֲלֵהֶ֗ם (’ă·lê·hem) Preposition | third person masculine plural Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to ‘For the generations to come, לְדֹרֹ֨תֵיכֶ֜ם (lə·ḏō·rō·ṯê·ḵem) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 1755: A revolution of time, an age, generation, a dwelling if any כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every of your descendants זַרְעֲכֶ֗ם (zar·‘ă·ḵem) Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity in a state of uncleanness וְטֻמְאָת֖וֹ (wə·ṭum·’ā·ṯōw) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 2932: Religious impurity approaches יִקְרַ֣ב (yiq·raḇ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7126: To come near, approach the sacred offerings הַקֳּדָשִׁים֙ (haq·qo·ḏā·šîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity that אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that the Israelites בְנֵֽי־ (ḇə·nê-) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son consecrate יַקְדִּ֤ישׁוּ (yaq·dî·šū) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 6942: To be set apart or consecrated to the LORD, לַֽיהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh) Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel that הַהִ֛וא (ha·hi·w) Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singular Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are person הַנֶּ֧פֶשׁ (han·ne·p̄eš) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion must be cut off וְנִכְרְתָ֞ה (wə·niḵ·rə·ṯāh) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant from My presence. מִלְּפָנַ֖י (mil·lə·p̄ā·nay) Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular Strong's 6440: The face I אֲנִ֥י (’ă·nî) Pronoun - first person common singular Strong's 589: I am the LORD. יְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel Links Leviticus 22:3 NIVLeviticus 22:3 NLT Leviticus 22:3 ESV Leviticus 22:3 NASB Leviticus 22:3 KJV Leviticus 22:3 BibleApps.com Leviticus 22:3 Biblia Paralela Leviticus 22:3 Chinese Bible Leviticus 22:3 French Bible Leviticus 22:3 Catholic Bible OT Law: Leviticus 22:3 Tell them 'If anyone of all your (Le Lv Lev.) |
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